Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1887-08-20
The Largest orchard In the State

Colonel A. L. Hatch of Suisun valley.
has, probably, the largest orchard in Cali
fornia. 1t consists of 800 acres, and is To-
Gated few miles northwest of Suisin. in
Solano county. About one-half of the
orchard is now in either partial or full
bearing. The varieties of fruit to be found
in this orchard are the apricot, peach, pear,
prune and almond The crop this wear
will amount to 1000 tons of fruit and so
tons of almonds. The fruit is contracted
to canneries at 81 10 per 100 pounds for
that portion of the crop suitable for dry
Ing, and the remainder of the crop is dried,
and probably yields an equal to an average
of 81 p per 100 pounds. Colonel Hatch
expects the almond crop will net him ten
cents per pound. His entire crop will
bring him this year from $4,000 to $780,
900. He expects that within seven years
his present crop will be quadrupled, and
If prices remain as at present, the income
from the ranch will then be about 1920, 900
or S4OO per acre, from which, of course,
running expenses must be paid
Land in the Suisun valley is worth from
500 to $500 per acre, and still much of it
is devoted to wheat culture.
Mr.. Hatch has made speciality of aim
monds, and has solved the almond question
IN this section of the State He has expert
mented with Seeding almonds extensively.
as he found the Languedoc poor bearer
and Il poor grower Mr. Hatch now has
two varieties of his own which he is plant
ing extensively, and will continue to plant.
as he finds that these trees bear heavily
every year, commencing to give a paving
crop at four years from dormant bud in
this locality, and the nuts sell for from two
to three cents per pound more than the
Languedoc
Why it is that land which will give such
returns in such short time is still held at
so low price is mystery. Every foot of
land in the Suisun valley is worth four
times as much as it can be bought for to-
day.
The editor Of the Press recently visited
this valley as the guest of Colonel Hatch,
and had ample opportunities for investi-
eating the fruit question of this section
carefully.
a few miles northeast of the Suisun val
ley lies the celebrated Naca valley which
has come into so great prominence of late
as fruit section.
Naca valley consists of about 5000 acres
and is mostly planted to orchard In a
branch of the Naca valley is a small valley
in which four years ago Mrs. Buckingham
purchased 400 acres of land for about Sl25
per acre. The same quality OF land is now
worth S3O0-market price-actually much
more. She planted POO acres to orchard
four years ago, but was unfortunate. and at
present has in reality but about three years
of growth on her trees. 1t has cost her,
probably, Sl25 to bring her orchard to its
present position in addition to the cost of
her land A few days since she was
offered 500 per acre Il year rental for five
years-or $4,000 net rental for 200 acres
which included the entire cost of taking
care of the place, and returning it to her
at the end of the term in good condition.
The lease was to begin after next wears
crop was taken from the place She de-
clined this offer as she was confident of
netting double that amount from the orch
ard
Mrs. Buckingham has on her place fig
tree which IS now thirty-six years old. 1t
is forty feet high, the body measures nine
feet in circumstance five feet from the
ground, and the crop on the tree this year
is estimated at over a ton.
Naca valley is held in large holdings as
compared with Riverside Many of the
orchards range in size from so to 200 acres
each. As a result, but little attention has
been paid to ornamental improvements.
The streets are narrow and dusty. and en- j.
tirely destitute of shade trees The resi-
dences are, as a rule, cheap and old style.
The valley Is rich and productive, but the
people pay more attention to the almighty
dollar than they do to the Injuries Of life.
Rirerside Press.